1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the general problem of the removal of article carrying flats individually from a stack of interfitted stacks. By the natural configuration of such article carrying flats they tend to interconnect with one another and thereby form an integral stack. Normally a stack is oriented in the vertically extending position and the uppermost flat is removed. Such devices require extensive members and movements and as such the present invention as designed is deemed to overcome the inherent problems with such configurations.
The present invention is also particularly usable since it will work with all types of article carrying flats including plastic egg trays or filler flats. Some such flats have holes and some such flats do not have holes and the present invention is particularly usable since it can accommodate both designs. Also the present design is usable with such flats of cardboard or molded materials or any other type of design due to the usage of a vacuum pick-up head or transfer arm which is universally usable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous prior art devices have been patented for feeding machines as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,946 to H. Barratt et al for a Sheet Feeding Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 2,915,308 issued to J. C. Matzen for Automatic Feeding Machines; U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,529 issued to M. B. Dunn for a Blank Feeding Apparatus For Box Erecting Machine; U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,967 to J. Le Brell for Hopper Feed For Carton Blanks; U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,978 to T. R. Baker et al for Blank Feeders For Box Forming Machines; U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,597 to Toyoo Segawa et al for a Plate Stacking Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,217 to A. R. Stobb et al on an Apparatus For Feeding Signatures; U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,640 to Hans Rapparlie on a Device For Forming Stacks From A Flow Of Consecutively Furnished Flat Items; U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,783 to A. H. Miller et al for an Apparatus For Handling Sheet Material; U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,253 to David J. Jarman on an Entry And Exit Stacking System; U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,633 to Arthur A. Knopp on a Hopper Loader; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,896 to Isamu Uchida et al on a Suction Head In A Paper Sheet Counting Machine.
These patented designs each have various difficulties which are overcome by the present design due to the usage of the pick-up head and the removal arm of the present invention. These movements greatly facilitate packing of horizontally extending stacks of flats.